A poke-through assembly or simply a “poke-through” is a common device that enables power, data or other cabling to pass through a hole between floors in a building, generally a concrete floor. A thermal barrier in the form of a fire and/or smoke retardant element, particularly intumescent material, is incorporated within the poke-through. The intumescent serves as a fire-stop and expands to seal any remaining space within the poke-through and the surrounding hole in which it is installed. This helps prevent the spread of fire and/or smoke from one floor to the next.
Contemporary poke-throughs provide access between an upper floor and an immediately adjacent lower floor. The poke-through assembly is usually installed with a cover which serves as a cap or lid for the hole. Also, the poke-through generally includes an upper frame or basket designed to create an easily accessible cavity or recess at the surface of the upper floor. Alternatively, such frames or baskets can be used to hold power and/or data receptacles therein. The upper frame is generally metallic and is in direct contact with a cover plate or the upper flooring itself. A lower end of the contemporary poke-through is connected to a junction box accessible to an adjacent lower floor. The lower end generally has open sides that hold intumescent material. Such an open configuration for the intumescent allows it to fully expand when heated, and theoretically seal the poke-through hole. However, the intumescent material does not generally provide a stable rigid support structure, especially when heated substantially. Thus, the expanding intumescent material will squeeze its way out the bottom of the poke-through assembly and big chunks of the material can break-off. This causes a loss of intumescent material, which can compromise the fire-stop capability for which it was intended.
There is therefore a need for a poke-through assembly that prevents the loss of and/or provides a retainer for the intumescent material. Such an improved assembly must be inexpensive, and manufactured and installed easily. Additionally, it would be beneficial if the improved assembly or at least portions thereof could be retrofit into existing poke-throughs without replacing the entire existing assembly.